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Posts Tagged ‘JV’

Falcons nip Wolves, but Grove impressive

Posted in Baseball, tagged , , , , on April 29, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Johnny Porter reached base three times Monday. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

“That’s the future of Coupeville baseball right there.”

Wolf JV diamond coach Jon Roberts, like the fans in the stands Monday, came away impressed with the pitching performance of 8th grader Carson Grove.

While the CHS bullpen couldn’t hold the lead, letting visiting South Whidbey slip away with a 6-3 win, the first five innings were a testament to the bright future of one of Coupeville’s youngest players.

With the Wolves playing their first JV game of the season, Grove, who has also seen time both on the mound and at second base for the high school varsity squad, proved to be the star attraction.

After giving up back-to-back infield singles to open the game, he held South Whidbey hitless, striking out five and exiting with a 2-1 lead.

The Falcons scratched out that lone run in the top of the first, but Grove emphatically ended things with a K and a groundout to shortstop Jack Farrell.

Coupeville had opportunities to knot the game up in both the first and second, but stranded runners.

Johnny Porter crunched a two-out double to right in the first, but couldn’t get past third, while two walks and a Farrell single went for naught in the second as South Whidbey gunned down a runner at third.

With Grove holding the visitors in check, Coupeville finally broke through, tying the game in the third, before going ahead in the fourth.

The first run was thanks to the nimble baserunning of Aiden O’Neill, who walked, stole two bags, then shot home on a passed ball to make it 1-1.

CHS claimed the lead at 2-1 in the fourth when Aidyn McDermott and Jayden Little stroked back-to-back base knocks, with the latter of those crashing down deep in left field.

Grove wrapped up his five innings of work by stranding two runners in the top of the fifth, ending his pitching performance with a crowd-pleasing strikeout.

South Whidbey broke through after his departure from the mound, scoring two in the sixth to retake the lead at 3-2, then pushing three across in the seventh after Coupeville retied the game.

Like O’Neill before him, Jack Porter provided run #3 for the Wolves thanks to a walk, two stolen bases and a mad dash to home when a pitch hit dirt and kicked away from the Falcon catcher.

Down to their final out, with no one aboard in the bottom of the seventh, Coupeville almost pulled off yet another comeback.

O’Neill eked out a free pass the hard way, followed by Grove and Johnny Porter being plunked to juice the bags.

The stage was set for a potential grand slam walk-off win, but it wasn’t to be.

South Whidbey went back to the bullpen and their fourth and final pitcher, freshman Ian Leon, ended the game with a strikeout as an already cold prairie turned downright dank and dark.

The two JV teams were originally slated to play again Wednesday, this time on the South end, but that was scratched at the last second due to transportation issues.

 

Monday stats:

Jack Farrell — One single
Carson Grove — One walk
Jayden Little — One single, two walks
Aidyn McDermott — One single, one walk
Aiden O’Neill — Two walks
Jack Porter — One walk
Johnny Porter — One double, two walks
Dylan Robinett — One walk

 

UPDATE 4/30: 

Wednesday’s game is back on, but in Coupeville.

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Killer Kassie off to explore new worlds

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , on February 10, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Kassie O’Neil, legendary human being. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Kassie O’Neil was a great basketball player, and the lessons she learned helped her transition into being one of the best coaches Coupeville High School has employed.

But she has always been about much more than just putting a ball in a basket.

Sister. Daughter. Mom. Wife. Businesswoman. Craftswoman. Speaker of truth.

Kassie is one of the rare ones, a radiant ray of sunshine and a boon to every place she calls home.

So, while Coupeville is losing her (at least for now), someplace else is about to welcome one of the most genuine people on the planet, and the boys she and husband Kevin are raising to be the same way.

Be grateful she graced us with her presence and envy those who will get to call her one of their own in the near future.

As she exits the CHS sideline, a few thoughts from the tartly transcendent one:

 

The last three years coaching at Coupeville has been a wild ride.

It’s been exhausting, mentally and physically demanding, and incredibly rewarding.

Getting to guide these young girls through some of their most formative years has been a task I didn’t take lightly.

For me, coaching became more than just basketball.

These kids need role models who are willing to hear them, see them, and listen without judgment and I think I tried my very best to be that for them. 

And as much as I have loved this job, my life feels to be pulling me in a different direction.

I know that I was hired on the premise that I would be in it for the long haul. And at the time, I really meant that.

Although, I did know I was going to have to figure out how to swing over and coach the boys with Brad (Sherman) when my boys got to that age. But I digress.

Heading into this position, I was ready to watch these kids go from start to finish, from middle schoolers to graduates.

But as they say, life happens when you’re busy making plans.

And while I thought I would be content with our small-town life here on this slow island where I grew up, I feel called to do other things and dream a bit bigger. 

So, with all of that said, I am withdrawing from my position as assistant coach and our family is moving off island come summer.

I’m not quite sure where we will land or what the future will look like, but I’m a ‘leap first and hopefully the stairway will appear’ kinda person.

I trust that we will end up right where we are supposed to be.

As for the girls, I hope they feel like they can call me whenever they need me.

And I’ll make it back to step into practice to see how they’re doing.

I’ll also make sure to catch all of their away games over in Skagit Valley.

I’m really not going that far, just across the water, but I know it feels like an ending.

I hope these girls know how much I care about them.

I am a boy mom through and through, but for the last three years I got to bond with these girls as if they were my own daughters.

Well, more like younger sisters because I’m really not THAT old … even though being around these kids make me feel like it.

Anyway, it’s been fun, and it’s been real, and I will never forget all that I learned about myself through coaching.

Coupeville will always be home, and this team will always be family to me.

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Destroy you today, destroy you tomorrow

Posted in Boys Basketball, tagged , , , , on February 6, 2024| Leave a Comment »

They can mug Camden Glover, but they can’t stop him from scoring. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

They’re ready for the spotlight.

With nine seniors on the current Coupeville High School varsity boys’ basketball squad, there will be plenty of open roster spots next year.

Ready to move up and make their mark? This year’s JV players, who capped an impressive run Tuesday night.

Destroying host La Conner 74-32, with 11 of 12 players scoring, the Wolves finish 7-0 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 14-2 overall.

Coupeville’s only losses were a one-point game with 3A Oak Harbor decided on the final play, and a three-point loss to 1A Mount Baker in the season opener.

Other than that, the Wolves ran wild all season.

“Both coaches are super proud of the progress each boy made in this season,” said JV co-coach Jon Roberts.

“We feel confident that we have provided (varsity) coach (Brad) Sherman with a team he can win a championship with next year.”

“So, you’re going to go out there and run ’em off the floor. Any questions?”

Tuesday’s beat-down, like most of the Wolf wins, was an explosive affair fueled by a team-wide attack.

You might stop one of the incoming Wolves flying down the hardwood, but there are four more guys, all capable of filling up the hoop, hot on his heels.

Six different CHS players popped the net as they built a 23-5 advantage by the first break, with Johnny Porter and Aiden O’Neill leading the way.

Jump to the second quarter and it was Jack Porter and Sage Arends bringing the pain, both collecting six points — with Arends notching a pair of three-balls — as Coupeville shoved the lead out to 42-16 at the half.

The second half was more of the same, as a different Wolf led the offense in each frame.

In the third quarter it was rampaging big man Camden Glover, throwing down eight of his team-high 12 points, while the fourth quarter was a showcase for Davin Houston, who stung the Braves in multiple ways.

Literally, as the furious frosh knocked down a three-ball, a two-point bucket, and a free throw in the quarter.

Jack Porter finished with 10 in limited minutes to back up Glover and his 12, while O’Neill (9), Johnny Porter (8), Jayden McManus (8), Arends (6), and Houston (6) all filled up the book.

But wait, cause they’re not done!

Makai Myles (5), Riley Lawless (4), Easton Green (4), and Landon Roberts (2) also scored, while Malachi Somes made his presence felt on the defensive end of the floor.

 

Final scoring stats:

Camden Glover – 211
Jack Porter – 174
Johnny Porter – 133
Aiden O’Neill – 111
Landon Roberts – 86
Riley Lawless – 62
Malachi Somes – 45
Jayden McManus – 44
Davin Houston – 40
Easton Green – 25
Sage Arends – 13
Makai Myles – 11

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Scrappy, start to finish

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , , on February 6, 2024| Leave a Comment »

With the high school season done, Taylor Marrs is off to play middle school hoops. (Jackie Saia photos)

They took advantage of every moment they had.

The Coupeville High School JV girls’ basketball squad was limited to 13 games this season, while their varsity counterparts got 20, thanks to rival schools maybe not being as committed as the Wolves are to playing God’s Chosen Sport.

But when the CHS young guns hit the hardwood, they were a scrappy bunch who showed continued improvement every time out.

In her second year at the helm of the JV program, former Wolf ace Kassie O’Neil guided her squad through a campaign which wrapped Tuesday with a rumble at La Conner.

Coupeville fell 64-36 to a strong Braves squad, finishing 2-4 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 5-8 overall.

But while the high school season is done, six Wolf 8th graders who played above their grade level will keep on keepin’ on, moving on to play another eight games for the middle school program.

Ari Cunningham, Taylor Marrs, Ava Lucero, Tenley Stuurmans, Adie Maynes, and Chelsi Stevens start that season Thursday at home against South Whidbey.

The Wolf JV came out on fire Tuesday, battling La Conner almost even for eight minutes.

Ready to attack.

Bryley Gilbert dumped in six points and Haylee Armstrong rattled the rim for the first of her two three-balls as Coupeville headed to the break down just 15-14.

The second quarter was a killer, however, as the Braves used a 21-3 surge to stretch the halftime lead out to 36-17.

The Wolves fought back in the second half, once again playing their hosts almost straight up, as Stuurmans knocked down nine of her team-high 11 points after the break.

Gilbert finished with seven in support of her young teammate, while Armstrong (6), Maynes (5), Capri Anter (3), Lucero (2), and Brynn Parker (2) also scored.

Stevens, Cunningham, Marrs, and Lexis Drake rounded out the Wolf roster, with all seeing floor time.

 

Final scoring stats:

Haylee Armstrong – 134
Tenley Stuurmans – 90
Bryley Gilbert – 59
Adie Maynes – 36
Capri Anter – 33
Brynn Parker – 29
Lexis Drake – 16
Teagan Calkins – 9
Ari Cunningham – 9
Taylor Marrs – 6
Chelsi Stevens – 5
Ava Lucero – 4

**Missing 26 points​​**

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Smooth start, bumpy finish

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , on February 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Adie Maynes debates her options. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

The basket is a fickle mistress.

Early Saturday afternoon the net was super receptive to the shots offered up by the Coupeville High School JV girls’ basketball squad.

Later, not so much.

That explains how an 18-10 Wolf advantage slipped away, with the game ending 35-26 in favor of visiting Orting.

The non-conference loss drops CHS to 5-7 on the season, with one clash left on the schedule.

That will arrive Tuesday in La Conner, as Kassie O’Neil’s pack of feisty Wolves wrap a season in which fielding a consistent schedule has been tough.

That’s why Saturday’s rumble with Orting, a 2A school out of Pierce County, was added at the last second.

Coupeville’s JV has one game left on the schedule.

Going in Saturday, the young Wolves had little idea what to expect from the visiting Cardinals, who arrived late and took a few minutes to get back up to speed.

Coupeville jumped on Orting from the opening tip, with Haylee Armstrong raining down buckets as the home team built a 12-6 advantage midway through the first quarter.

While the Cardinals trimmed the margin back to 12-10 at the break, the Wolves kept pushing.

Buckets from Ari Cunningham, Bryley Gilbert, and Brynn Parker to open the second shoved the lead back out to 18-10, giving CHS its biggest lead of the afternoon.

And then the basket — at least the one on Coupeville’s end of the floor — went out of business.

Orting closed the second quarter on a 7-0 tear to slice the Wolf lead down to 18-17 at the half, then dominated play in the third.

Parker drilled an absolutely gorgeous jumper to open things, while Gilbert made off with a steal and converted the breakaway bucket, but those were the only CHS points in the frame.

The Cardinals claimed the lead off a short bank shot set up by a steal, then ran away with things, carrying a 29-22 lead into the final frame.

Adie Maynes knocked down a pair of fourth quarter buckets, while defensive terror Ava Lucero rattled the Orting ballhandlers while flying end to end and frequently diving for loose balls.

But it wasn’t enough offense for Coupeville to get back in the game, and the visitors converted just enough chances down the stretch to hold the Wolves off.

While Coupeville’s final point total wasn’t enough to carry the day, the squad did share the scoring load, with six different players rattling the rim.

Armstrong and Maynes tied for team honors with six points apiece, while Cunningham (4), Gilbert (4), Parker (4), and Lexis Drake (2) also got on the board.

Capri Anter, Chelsi Stevens, and Lucero rounded out the active roster on the day.

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